A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and appendices contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of this patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to the field of programmable man-machine interfaces, for general or special purpose computing or sequencing devices. The present interface system is ergonomically adapted to provide an optimized environment for human interaction with the device. The present system preferably employs a graphical direct-manipulation style interface. The present invention provides an enhanced interface for facilitating human input of a desired information and for modifying information previously entered information.
Significant difficulties are experienced by users when complex programmable devices having multiple commands which are infrequently used or programmed by those users. Further, when a user attempts to use an uncommon or rarely used function of these devices, which may be, for example video cassette recorders (hereinafter xe2x80x9cVCRsxe2x80x9d) difficulties are also encountered. For example, studies have concluded that 80% of users cannot correctly program their VCRs. This has been due, in part, to the fact that manufacturers continue to add more features to existing devices, without simplifying those which already exist. Another problem has been the failure of manufacturers to design products in which the control interface adapts to the behavior of the user or to allow a system to be adaptive to the behaviors of a plurality of users.
People learn most efficiently through the interactive experiences of doing, thinking, and knowing. Learning may often be facilitated by observing an experienced teacher. For ease-of-use, efficiency, and lack of frustration of the user, utilizing the device should be intuitive. Users should be able to operate the device without referring to an instruction manual. Often, actual working examples are helpful. Well-designed products should contain visual clues which prompt and convey their meanings, however, prior art devices do not always live up to this ideal. This problem of insufficient perceptual clues to cue the user as to the identity and nature of available choices is accentuated by various manufacturers and designers who focus on the production and design of feature-rich systems, rather than on ones which are also xe2x80x9cUser Friendlyxe2x80x9d and thus easier to use. Therefore, many products are extremely complex and thus difficult to use, thereby preventing all but the most technically advanced people from using them. Other products are simple to use for a low level of functionality, but make it extremely difficult to transcend an arbitrary barrier set by the interface designer.
Some display systems have a higher available resolution than others, and the interface is preferably arranged to optimize the intended display for the resolution limits and display format of the intended or available display device. Further, even with sufficient resolution, certain displays are of small size, and thus the visibility of the information may also be optimized by taking into consideration the size, resolution, contrast, brightness of the display, ambient conditions, characteristics of the human visual system, factors specific for a known user, and the available options of the apparatus. Thus, the interface may employ a number of methods to optimize the visibility of the information for a variety of display devices, storage formats and transmission standards. Known display standards and types include: National Television Standards Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternate Line (PAL), Sequential Coleur à Memoire (SECAM), Comitxc3xa9 Consultatif International des Radio-communications (International Radio Consultative Committee, Geneva, Switzerland) (CCIR) standard 601 (encoding parameters for digital television); High Definition Television (HDTV), Multiple Sideband Encoding (MUSE), Improved Definition Television (IDTV), Video Home System (VHS), Super-Video Home System (S-VHS), Beta, SuperBeta, 8 mm, Hi-8 mm, videotel or picturephone (Px64), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard H.261, Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 1, MPEG-2, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), computer display standards (Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), Hercules Graphic Card (HGC), Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA), Video Graphics Array (VGA), Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA), eXtended Graphics Array (XGA), Macintosh(copyright), 8514/A (IBM high resolution video standard), Private Eye(copyright) (a small reflection scanned light emitting diode (LED line array for projecting a virtual image in front of the eye, available from Reflection Technology, Inc.), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), etc., each of which may have a number of size ranges, e.g. about 1 cm2 to about 10 m2, with a resolution range including displays having about 16 dot matrix characters or more or about 16 by 64 pixels to about 2,048 by 2,048 pixels. Techniques such as antialiasing, font substitution, hinting, precompensating for expected distortion, etc., are all known employed to improve the readability of the display under various circumstances.
The prior art details a number of components of the present invention, and in fact, in a number of areas the present invention builds upon the prior art by adding novel aspects disclosed herein to result in improvements. Therefore, as set forth below, and in the attached appendix of references (including abstracts), incorporated herein by reference, a significant number of references detail fundamental technologies which may be improved according to the present invention. To the extent necessary, these technologies are disclosed and are expressly incorporated herein by reference to avoid duplication of prior art teachings. Recitation hereinbelow of these teachings or reference to these teachings is not meant to imply that the inventors hereof were necessarily in any way involved in these references, nor that the particular improvements recited herein were made or conceived after the publication of these references. Thus, prior art cited herein is intended to (1) disclose information related to the application published before the filing hereof; (2) define the problem in the art to which the present invention is directed, (3) define prior art methods of solving various problems also addressed by the present invention; (4) define the state of the art with respect to methods disclosed or referenced herein; and/or (5) detail technologies used to implement methods or apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a programmable device that comprises a menu-driven interface in which the user enters information using a direct manipulation input device. Such a type of interface scheme is disclosed in Verplank, William L., xe2x80x9cGraphics in Human-Computer Communication: Principles of Graphical User-Interface Designxe2x80x9d, Xerox Office Systems, which is incorporated herein by reference; the references cited therein: Foley, J. D., Wallace, V. L., Chan, P., xe2x80x9cThe Human Factor of Computer Graphics Interaction Techniquesxe2x80x9d, IEEE CGandA, November 1984, pp. 13-48; Koch, H., xe2x80x9cErgonomische Betrachtung von Schreibtastaturenxe2x80x9d, Humane Production, 1, pp. 12-15 (1985); Norman, D. A., Fisher, D., xe2x80x9cWhy Alphabetic Keyboards Are Not Easy To Use: Keyboard Layout Doesn""t Much Matterxe2x80x9d, Human Factors 24(5), pp. 509-519 (1982); Perspectives: High Technology 2, 1985; Knowlton, K., xe2x80x9cVirtual Pushbuttons as a Means of Person-Machine Interactionxe2x80x9d, Proc of Conf. Computer Graphics, Pattern Recognition and Data Structure, Beverly Hills, Calif., May 1975, pp. 350-352; xe2x80x9cMachine Now Reads, enters Information 25 Times Faster Than Human Keyboard Operatorsxe2x80x9d, Information Display 9, p. 18 (1981); xe2x80x9cScanner Converts Materials to Electronic Files for PCsxe2x80x9d, IEEE CGandA, December 1984, p. 76; xe2x80x9cNew Beetle Cursor Director Escapes All Surface Constraintsxe2x80x9d, Information Display 10, p. 12, 1984; Lu, C., xe2x80x9cComputer Pointing Devices: Living With Micexe2x80x9d, High Technology, January 1984, pp. 61-65; xe2x80x9cFinger Paintingxe2x80x9d, Information Display 12, p. 18, 1981; Kraiss, K. F., xe2x80x9cNeuere Methoden der Interaktion an der Schnittstelle Mensch-Maschinexe2x80x9d, Z. F. Arbeitswissenschaft, 2, pp. 65-70, 1978; Hirzinger, G., Landzettel, K., xe2x80x9cSensory Feedback Structures for Robots with Supervised Learningxe2x80x9d, IEEE Conf. on Robotics and Automation, St. Louis, March 1985; Horgan, H., xe2x80x9cMedical Electronicsxe2x80x9d, IEEE Spectrum, January 1984, pp. 90-93, are also incorporated herein by reference.
The following references, expressly incorporated herein by reference, are relevant to the interface aspects of the present invention, certain of which are incorporated by reference in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/812,805, incorporated herein by reference:
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A menu based remote control-contained display device is disclosed in Platte, Oberjatzas, and Voessing, xe2x80x9cA New Intelligent Remote Control Unit for Consumer Electronic Devicexe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. CE-31, No. 1, February 1985, 59-68, incorporated herein by reference. This system does not incorporate on-screen programming, nor various aspects of the display of the present invention.
A directional or direct manipulation-type sensor based infrared remote control is disclosed in Zeisel, Tomas, Tomaszewski, xe2x80x9cAn Interactive Menu-Driven Remote Control Unit for TV-Receivers and VC-Recordersxe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 34, No. 3, 814-818 (1988), incorporated herein by reference, which relates to a control for programming with the West German Videotext system. This is a different implementation of the Videotext programming system than described in Bensch, U., xe2x80x9cVPVxe2x80x94VIDEOTEXT PROGRAMS VIDEORECORDERxe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 34, No. 3, 788-792 (1988), incorporated herein by reference, which describes the system of Video Program System Signal Transmitters, in which the VCR is programmed by entering a code for the Video Program System signal, which is emitted by television stations in West Germany. Each separate program has a unique identifier code, transmitted at the beginning of the program, so that a user need only enter the code for the program, and the VCR will monitor the channel for the code transmission, and begin recording when the code is received, regardless of schedule changes. The Videotext Programs Recorder (VPR) disclosed does not intelligently interpret the transmission, rather the system reads the transmitted code as a literal label, without any analysis or determination of a classification of the program type.
Known manual input devices include the trackball, mouse, and joystick. In addition, other devices are known, including the so-called xe2x80x9cJ-cursorxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmousekeyxe2x80x9d which embeds a two (x,y) or three (x,y,p) axis pressure sensor in a button conformed to a finger, present in a general purpose keyboard; a keyboard joystick of the type described in Electronic Engineering Times, Oct. 28, 1991, p. 62, xe2x80x9cIBM Points a New Wayxe2x80x9d; a so-called xe2x80x9cisobarxe2x80x9d which provides a two axis input by optical sensors (xcex8,x), a two and one half axis (x,y,digital input) input device, such as a mouse or a xe2x80x9cfelixxe2x80x9d device, infrared, acoustic, etc.; position sensors for determining the position of a finger or pointer on a display screen (touch-screen input) or on a touch surface, e.g., xe2x80x9cGlidePointxe2x80x9d (ALPS/Cirque); goniometer input (angle position, such as human joint position detector), etc. Many of such suitable devices are summarized in Kraiss, K. F., xe2x80x9cAlternative Input Devices For Human Computer Interactionxe2x80x9d, Forschunginstitut Fxc3xcr Anthropotecahnik, Werthhoven, F. R. Germany, incorporated herein by reference. A new device, which may also be suitable is the GyroPoint, available from Gyration Inc., which aid. provides 2-D or 3-D input information in up to six axes of motion: height, length, depth, roll, pitch and yaw. While such a device is generally considered too complex and costly for use with a VCR, and is therefore not most preferred for a VCR embodiment, the many degrees of freedom available may provide suitable input for other types of controllers, such as those based on xe2x80x9cVirtual Realityxe2x80x9d or which track a moving object, where many degrees of freedom and a high degree of input accuracy is required. The Hallpot, a device which pivots a magnet about a Hall effect sensor to produce angular orientation information, a pair of which may be used to provide information about two axes of displacement, available from Elweco, Inc, Willoughby, Ohio, may also be employed as an input device.
These input devices may be broken down into a number of categories: direct inputs, i.e. touch-screen and light pen; indirect inputs, i.e. trackball, joystick, mouse, touch-tablet, bar code scanner (see, e.g., Atkinson, Terry, xe2x80x9cVCR Programming: Making Life Easier Using Bar Codesxe2x80x9d), keyboard, and multi-function keys; and interactive input, i.e. Voice activation/instructions (see, e.g., Rosch, Winn L., xe2x80x9cVoice Recognition: Understanding the Master""s Voicexe2x80x9d, PC Magazine, Oct. 27, 1987, 261-308); and eye tracker and data suit/data glove (see, e.g. Tello, Ernest R., xe2x80x9cBetween Man And Machinexe2x80x9d, Byte, September 1988, 288-293; products of EXOS, Inc; Data Glove).
Each of the aforementioned input devices has advantages and disadvantages, which are summarized in the table below.
Recent studies suggest that a xe2x80x9cdirect manipulationxe2x80x9d style of interface has advantages for menu selection tasks. This type of interface provides visual objects on the screen which can be manipulated by xe2x80x9cpointingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cclickingxe2x80x9d on the them. For example, the popular Graphical User Interfaces (xe2x80x9cGUIsxe2x80x9d), known in the art, use a direct manipulation style interface. A device such as a touch-screen, with a more natural selection technique, is technically preferable to the direct manipulation method. However, its low accuracy and high cost make other inputs more commercially practical. In addition, the user must be within arms"" length of the touch-screen display. In a cursor positioning task, Albert (1982) found the trackball to be the most accurate pointing device and the touch-screen to be the least accurate when compared with other input devices such as the light pen, joystick, data tablet, trackball, and keyboard. Epps (1986) found both the mouse and trackball to be somewhat faster than both the touch-pad and joystick, but he concluded that there were no significant performance differences between the mouse and trackball as compared with the touch-pad and joystick.
It is noted that many present devices, intended for use in computers having graphic interfaces, would advantageously make use of an input device which is accessible, without the necessity of moving the user""s hands from the keyboard. Thus; for example, Electronic Engineering Times (EET), Oct. 28, 1991, p. 62, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a miniature joystick incorporated into the functional area of the keyboard. This technique does not employ any minimization of the number of keys.
In a study of menu selection tasks comparing the mouse and the trackball, the accuracy data showed no significant difference between the two. The key finding shows that both mouse users and trackball users performed better with the trackball on the menu selection task. It should be noted that this was not the case for all tasks. The definition of the menu selection task used by Sperling, Bied, Tullis, in xe2x80x9cAre You a Better xe2x80x98Mouserxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98Trackballerxe2x80x99? A Comparison of Cursorxe2x80x94Positioning Performancexe2x80x9d, Interactive/Poster Session at the CHI+GI""87 Graphics Interface and Human Factors in Computing Systems Conference, incorporated herein by reference, involves moving the cursor through a list of items and making a selection.
The following cited patents and publications are relevant to pattern recognition and control aspects of the present invention, and are herein expressly incorporated by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,163, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method for determining a desired image signal range from an image having a single background, in particular a radiation image such as a medical X-ray. This reference teaches basic image enhancement techniques.
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Bhatnagar, R. K., L. N. Kamal, xe2x80x9cHandling uncertain information: a review of numeric and non-numeric methodsxe2x80x9d, Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence, L. N. Kamal and J. F. Lemmer, Eds. (1986);
Dempster, A. P., xe2x80x9cUpper and lower probabilities induced by a multivalued mappingxe2x80x9d, Annals of mathematical Statistics, no. 38 (1967);
Dempster, A. P., xe2x80x9cA generalization of Bayesian inferencexe2x80x9d, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Vol. 30, Series B (1968);
Shafer, G., xe2x80x9cA mathematical theory of evidencexe2x80x9d, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. (1976);
Dubois, D., N. Prade, xe2x80x9cCombination of uncertainty with belief functions: a reexaminationxe2x80x9d, Proceedings 9th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Los Angeles (1985);
Kyburg, H. E., xe2x80x9cBayesian and non Bayesian evidential updatingxe2x80x9d, Artificial Intelligence 31:271-293 (1987);
Fua, P. V., xe2x80x9cUsing probability density functions in the framework of evidential reasoning Uncertainty in knowledge based systemsxe2x80x9d, B. Bouchon, R. R. Yager, Eds. Springer Verlag (1987);
Chao, J. J., E. Drakopoulos, C. C. Lee, xe2x80x9cAn evidential reasoning approach to distributed multiple hypothesis detectionxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the 20th Conference on decision and control, Los Angeles, Calif., December 1987;
Yager, R. R., xe2x80x9cEntropy and specificity in a mathematical theory of Evidencexe2x80x9d, Int. J. General Systems, 9:249-260 (1983);
Ishizuka, M., xe2x80x9cInference methods based on extended Dempster and Shafer""s theory for problems with uncertainty/fuzzinessxe2x80x9d, New Generation Computing, 1:159-168 (1983), Ohmsha, Ltd, and Springer Verlag;
Zadeh, L. A., xe2x80x9cFuzzy setsxe2x80x9d, Information and Control, 8:338-353 (1965);
Zadeh, L. A., xe2x80x9cProbability measures of fuzzy eventsxe2x80x9d, Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications, 23:421-427 (1968);
Kaufmann, A., xe2x80x9cIntroduction a la theorie des sous-ensembles flousxe2x80x9d, Vol. 1, 2 et 3-Masson-Paris (1975);
Sugeno, M., xe2x80x9cTheory of fuzzy integrals and its applicationsxe2x80x9d, Tokyo Institute of Technology (1974);
Bellman, R. E., L. A. Zadeh, xe2x80x9cDecision making in a fuzzy environmentxe2x80x9d, Management Science, 17(4) (December 1970);
Dubois, D., N. Prade, xe2x80x9cFuzzy sets and systems-Theory and applicationsxe2x80x9d, Academic Press, New York (1980);
Zadeh, L. A., xe2x80x9cFuzzy sets as a basis for a theory of possibilityxe2x80x9d, Fuzzy sets and Systems 1:3-28 (1978);
Dubois, D., xe2x80x9cModeles mathematiques de l""imprecis et de l""incertain en vue d""applications aux techniques d""aide a la decisionxe2x80x9d, Doctoral Thesis, University of Grenoble (1983);
Dubois, D., N. Prade, xe2x80x9cTheorie des possibilites: application a la representation des connaissances en informatiquexe2x80x9d, Masson, Paris (1985).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,161, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a video image pattern recognition system, which recognizes objects in near real time.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,817,176 and 4,802,230, both incorporated hereinby reference, relate to harmonic transform methods of pattern matching of an undetermined pattern to known patterns, and are useful in the pattern recognition method of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,286, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a harmonic transform method for comparing multidimensional images, such as color images, and is useful in the present pattern recognition methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,166, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a pattern recognition system, in which a local optimum match between subsets of candidate reference label sequences and candidate templates. It is clear that this method is useful in the pattern recognition aspects of the present invention. It is also clear that the interface and control system of the present invention are useful adjuncts to the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,166.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,095, incorporated herein by reference, relates to the use of a genetic learning algorithm to adaptively segment images, which is an initial stage in image recognition. This patent has a software listing for this method. It is clear that this method is useful in the pattern recognition aspects of the present invention. It is also clear that the interface and control system of the present invention are useful adjuncts to the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,095.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,065,447, and 4,941,193, both incorporated herein by reference, relate to the compression of image data by using fractal transforms. These are discussed in detail below. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,447 cites a number of references, all incorporated herein by reference, relevant to the use of fractals in image processing:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,659;
Barnsley et al., xe2x80x9cHidden Variable Fractal Interpolation Functionsxe2x80x9d, School of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga. 30332, July, 1986;
Barnsley, M. F., and Demko, S., xe2x80x9cIterated Function Systems and The Global Construction of Fractalsxe2x80x9d, Proc. R. Soc. Lond., A399:243-275 (1985);
Barnsley, M. F., Ervin, V., Hardin, D., Lancaster, J., xe2x80x9cSolution of an Inverse Problem for Fractals and Other Setsxe2x80x9d, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 83:1975-1977 (April 1986);
xe2x80x9cA New Class of Markov Processes for Image Encodingxe2x80x9d, School of Mathematics, Georgia Inst. of Technology (1988), pp. 14-32;
xe2x80x9cFractal Modeling of Biological Structuresxe2x80x9d, Perspectives in Biological Dynamics and Theoretical Medicine, Koslow, Mandell, Shlesinger, eds., Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 504, 179-194 (date unknown);
Elton, J., xe2x80x9cAn Ergodic Theorem for Iterated Mapsxe2x80x9d, Journal of Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems, 7 (1987);
xe2x80x9cConstruction of Fractal Objects with Iterated Function Systemsxe2x80x9d, Siggraph ""85 Proceedings, 19(3):271-278 (1985);
xe2x80x9cFractal Modelling of Real World Images, Lecture Notes for Fractals: Introduction, Basics and Perspectivesxe2x80x9d, Siggraph (1987);
Peterson, Ivars, xe2x80x9cPacking It In-Fractals . . . xe2x80x9d, Science News, 131(18):283-285 (May 2, 1987);
xe2x80x9cFractal Geometry-Understanding Chaosxe2x80x9d, Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, p. 16 (Spring 1986);
xe2x80x9cFractals-A Geometry of Naturexe2x80x9d, Georgia Institute of Technology Research Horizons, p. 9 (Spring 1986);
Fractal Modelling of Biological Structures, School of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (date unknown);
Barnsley et al., xe2x80x9cA Better Way to Compress Imagesxe2x80x9d, Byte Magazine, January 1988, pp. 213-225;
Derra, Skip, xe2x80x9cResearchers Use Fractal Geometry, . . . xe2x80x9d, Research and Development Magazine, March 1988;
xe2x80x9cData Compression: Pntng by Numbrsxe2x80x9d, The Economist, May 21, 1988;
Baldwin, William, xe2x80x9cJust the Bare Facts, Pleasexe2x80x9d, Forbes Magazine, Dec. 12, 1988;
Barnsley et al., xe2x80x9cHarnessing Chaos For Images Synthesisxe2x80x9d, Computer Graphics, 22(4):131-140 (August, 1988);
Barnsley et al., xe2x80x9cChaotic Compressionxe2x80x9d, Computer Graphics World, November 1987;
Gleick, James, xe2x80x9cMaking a New Sciencexe2x80x9d, pp. 215, 239, date unknown.
Byte Magazine, January 1988, supra, cites:
Mandelbrot, B., xe2x80x9cThe Fractal Geometry of Naturexe2x80x9d, W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, Calif., 1982, 1977; and
Barnsley, M. F., xe2x80x9cFractals Everywherexe2x80x9d, Academic Press, Boston, Mass., 1988, both of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,600, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a method and apparatus for compression and decompression of digital image data, using fractal methods. According to this method, digital image data is automatically processed by dividing stored image data into domain blocks and range blocks. The range blocks are subjected to processes such as a shrinking process to obtain mapped range blocks. The range blocks or domain blocks may also be processed by processes such as affine transforms. Then, for each domain block, the mapped range block which is most similar to the domain block is determined, and the address of that range block and the processes the blocks were subjected to are combined as an identifier which is appended to a list of identifiers for other domain blocks. The list of identifiers for all domain blocks is called a fractal transform and constitutes a compressed representation of the input image. To decompress the fractal transform and recover the input image, an arbitrary input image is formed into range blocks and the range blocks processed in a manner specified by the identifiers to form a representation of the original input image.
xe2x80x9cImage Compression Using Fractals and Waveletsxe2x80x9d, Final Report for the Phase II Contract Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, Contract No. N00014-91-C-0117, Netrologic Inc., San Diego, Calif. (Jun. 2, 1993), expressly incorporated herein by reference, and attached hereto as an appendix, relates to various methods of compressing image data, including fractals and wavelets. This method may also be applicable in pattern recognition applications. This reference provides theory and comparative analysis of compression schemes.
A fractal-processing method based image extraction method is described in Kim, D. H.; Caulfield, H. J.; Jannson, T.; Kostrzewski, A.; Savant, G, xe2x80x9cOptical fractal image processor for noise-embedded targets detectionxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, Vol: 2026 p. 144-9 (1993) (SPIE Conf: Photonics for Processors, Neural Networks, and Memories Jul. 12-15 1993, San Diego, Calif., USA), expressly incorporated herein by reference. According to this paper, a fractal dimensionality measurement and analysis-based automatic target recognition (ATR) is described. The ATR is a multi-step procedure, based on fractal image processing, and can simultaneously perform preprocessing, interest locating, segmenting, feature extracting, and classifying. See also, Cheong, C. K.; Aizawa, K.; Saito, T.; Hatori, M., xe2x80x9cAdaptive edge detection with fractal dimensionxe2x80x9d, Transactions of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers D-II, J76D-II(11):2459-63 (1993); Hayes, H. I.; Solka, J. L.; Priebe, C. E.; xe2x80x9cParallel computation of fractal dimensionxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1962:219-30 (1993); Priebe, C. E.; Solka, J. L.; Rogers, G. W., xe2x80x9cDiscriminant analysis in aerial images using fractal based featuresxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1962:196-208(1993). See also, Anson, L., xe2x80x9cFracal Image Compressionxe2x80x9d, Byte, October 1993, pp. 195-202; xe2x80x9cFractal Compression Goes On-Linexe2x80x9d, Byte, September 1993.
Methods employing other than fractal-based algorithms may also be used. See, e.g., Liu, Y., xe2x80x9cPattern recognition using Hilbert spacexe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1825:63-77 (1992), which describes a learning approach, the Hilbert learning. This approach is similar to Fractal learning, but the Fractal part is replaced by Hilbert space. Like the Fractal learning, the first stage is to encode an image to a small vector in the internal space of a learning system. The next stage is to quantize the internal parameter space. The internal space of a Hilbert learning system is defined as follows: a pattern can be interpreted as a representation of a vector in a Hilbert space. Any vectors in a Hilbert space can be expanded. If a vector happens to be in a subspace of a Hilbert space where the dimension L of the subspace is low (order of 10), the vector can be specified by its norm, an L-vector, and the Hermitian operator which spans the Hilbert space, establishing a mapping from an image space to the internal space P. This mapping converts an input image to a 4-tuple; t in P=(Norm, T, N, L-vector), where T is an operator parameter space, N is a set of integers which specifies the boundary condition. The encoding is implemented by mapping an input pattern into a point in its internal space. The system uses local search algorithm, i.e., the system adjusts its internal data locally. The search is first conducted for an operator in a parameter space of operators, then an error function delta (t) is computed. The algorithm stops at a local minimum of delta (t). Finally, the input training set divides the internal space by a quantization procedure. See also, Liu, Y., xe2x80x9cExtensions of fractal theoryxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1966:255-68(1993).
Fractal methods may be used for pattern recognition. See, Sadjadi, F., xe2x80x9cExperiments in the use of fractal in computer pattern recognitionxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1960:214-22(1993). According to this reference, man-made objects in infrared and millimeter wave (MMW) radar imagery may be recognized using fractal-based methods. The technique is based on estimation of the fractal dimensions of sequential blocks of an image of a scene and slicing of the histogram of the fractal dimensions computed by Fourier regression. The technique is shown to be effective for the detection of tactical military vehicles in IR, and of airport attributes in MMW radar imagery.
In addition to spatial self similarity, temporal self-similarity may also be analyzed using fractal methods. See, Reusens, E., xe2x80x9cSequence coding based on the fractal theory of iterated transformations systemsxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2094(pt. 1): 132-40(1993), incorporated herein by reference. This reference describes a scheme based on the iterated functions systems theory which relies on a 3D approach in which the sequence is adaptively partitioned. Each partition block can be coded either by using the spatial self similarities or by exploiting temporal redundancies.
Fractal compression methods may be used for video data for transmission. See, Hurtgen, B.; Buttgen, P., xe2x80x9cFractal approach to low rate video codingxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2094(pt. 1): 120-31(1993). This reference relates to a method for fast encoding and decoding of image sequences on the basis of fractal coding theory and the hybrid coding concept. The differentiol pulse code modulation (DPCM)-loop accounts for statistical dependencies of natural image sequences in the temporal direction. Those regions of the original image where the prediction, i.e. motion estimation and compensation, fails are encoded using an advanced fractal coding scheme, suitable for still images, and whose introduction instead of the commonly used DCT-based coding is advantageous especially at very low bit rates (8-64 kbit/s). In order to increase reconstruction quality, encoding speed and compression ratio, some additional features such as hierarchical codebook search and multilevel block segmentation may be employed. This hybrid technique may be used in conjunction with the present adaptive interface or other features of the present invention.
Fractal methods may be used to segment an image into objects having various surface textures. See, Zhi-Yan Xie; Brady, M., xe2x80x9cFractal dimension image for texture segmentationxe2x80x9d, ICARCV ""92. Second International Conference on Automation, Robotics and Computer Vision, p. CV-4.3/1-5 vol.1, (1992). According to this reference, the fractal dimension and its change over boundaries of different homogeneous textured regions is analyzed and used to segment textures in infrared aerial images. Based on the fractal dimension, different textures map into different fractal dimension image features, such that there is smooth variation within a single homogeneous texture but sharp variation at texture boundaries. Since the fractal dimension remains unchanged under linear transformation, this method is robust for dismissing effects caused by lighting and other extrinsic factors. Morphology is the only tool used in the implementation of the whole process: texture feature extraction, texture segmentation and boundary detection. This makes possible parallel implementations of each stage of the process.
Rahmati, M.; Hassebrook, L. G., xe2x80x9cIntensity- and distortion-invariant pattern recognition with complex linear morphologyxe2x80x9d, Pattern Recognition, 27 (4):549-68(1994) relates to a unified model based pattern recognition approach is introduced which can be formulated into a variety of techniques to be used for a variety of applications. In this approach, complex phasor addition and cancellation are incorporated into the design of filter(s) to perform implicit logical operations using linear correlation operators. These implicit logical operations are suitable to implement high level gray scale morphological transformations of input images. In this way non-linear decision boundaries are effectively projected into the input signal space yet the mathematical simplicity of linear filter designs is maintained. This approach is applied to the automatic distortion- and intensity-invariant object recognition problem. A set of shape operators or complex filters is introduced which are logically structured into a filter bank architecture to accomplish the distortion and intensity-invariant system. This synthesized complex filter bank is optimally sensitive to fractal noise representing natural scenery. The sensitivity is optimized for a specific fractal parameter range using the Fisher discriminant. The output responses of the proposed system are shown for target, clutter, and pseudo-target inputs to represent its discrimination and generalization capability in the presence of distortion and intensity variations. Its performance is demonstrated with realistic scenery as well as synthesized inputs.
Sprinzak, J.; Werman, M., xe2x80x9cAffine point matchingxe2x80x9d, Pattern Recognition Letters, 15(4):337-9(1994), relates to a pattern recognition method. A fundamental problem of pattern recognition, in general, is recognizing and locating objects within a given scene. The image of an object may have been distorted by different geometric transformations such as translation, rotation, scaling, general affine transformation or perspective projection. The recognition task involves finding a transformation that superimposes the model on its instance in the image. This reference proposes an improved method of superimposing the model.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,530, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a method and apparatus for tracking a moving object in a scene, for example the face of a person in videophone applications, comprises forming an initial template of the face, extracting a mask outlining the face, dividing the template into a plurality (for example sixteen) sub-templates, for searching the next frame to find a match with the template, searching the next frame to find a match with each of the sub-templates, determining the displacements of each of the sub-templates with respect to the template, using the displacements to determine affine transform coefficients and performing an affine transform to produce an updated template and updated mask.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,504 relates to a moving video image estimation system, based on an original video image of time n and time n+1, the centroid, the principal axis of inertia, the moment about the principal axis of inertia and the moment about the axis perpendicular to the principal axis of inertia are obtained. By using this information, an affine transformation for transforming the original video image at time n to the original video image at time n+1 is obtained. Based on the infintesimal transformation (A), eAt, and eA(txe2x88x921) obtained by making the affine transformation continuous with regard to time is executed on the original video image at time n and time n+1. The results are synthesized to perform an interpolation between the frames. eA(txe2x88x921) is applied to the original video system time n+1. The video image after time n+1 is thereby protected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,603, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a dynamic method for recognizing objects and image processing system therefor. This reference discloses a method of distinguishing between different members of a class of images, such as human beings. A time series of successive relatively high-resolution frames of image data, any frame of which may or may not include a graphical representation of one or more predetermined specific members (e.g., particular known persons) of a given generic class (e.g. human beings), is examined in order to recognize the identity of a specific member; if that member""s image is included in the time series. The frames of image data may be examined in real time at various resolutions, starting with a relatively low resolution, to detect whether some earlier-occurring frame includes any of a group of image features possessed by an image of a member of the given class. The image location of a detected image feature is stored and then used in a later-occurring, higher resolution frame to direct the examination only to the image region of the stored location in order to (1) verify the detection of the aforesaid image feature, and (2) detect one or more other of the group of image features, if any is present in that image region of the frame being examined. By repeating this type of examination for later and later occurring frames, the accumulated detected features can first reliably recognize the detected image region to be an image of a generic object of the given class, and later can reliably recognize the detected image region to be an image of a certain specific member of the given class. Thus, the personae recognition feature of the present invention may be implemented in this manner. Further, it is clear that this recognition feature may form an integral part of certain embodiments of the present invention. It is also clear that the various features of the present invention would be applicable as an adjunct to the various elements of the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,603.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,160, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a motion-pattern recognition apparatus, having adaptive capabilities. The apparatus recognizes a motion of an object which is moving and is hidden in an image signal, and discriminates the object from the background within the signal. The apparatus has an image forming unit comprising non-linear oscillators, which forms an image of the motion of the object in accordance with an adjacent-mutual-interference-rule, on the basis of the image signal. A memory unit, comprising non-linear oscillators, stores conceptualized meanings of several motions. A retrieval unit retrieves a conceptualized meaning close to the motion image of the object. An altering unit alters the rule, on the basis of the conceptualized meaning. The image forming unit, memory unit, retrieval unit and altering unit form a holonic-loop. Successive alterations of the rules by the altering unit within the holonic loop change an ambiguous image formed in the image forming unit into a distinct image. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,160 cites the following references, incorporated herein by reference, which are relevant to the task of discriminating a moving object in a background:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,964;
Shiimizu et al, xe2x80x9cPrinciple of Holonic Computer and Holovisionxe2x80x9d, Journal of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication, 70(9):921-930 (1987);
Omata et al, xe2x80x9cHolonic Model of Motion Perceptionxe2x80x9d, IEICE Technical Reports, Mar. 26, 1988, pp. 339-346;
Ohsuga et al, xe2x80x9cEntrainment of Two Coupled van der Pol Oscillators by an External Oscillationxe2x80x9d, Biological Cybernetics, 51:225-239 (1985).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,440, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a pattern recognition apparatus, which compensates for, and is thus insensitive to pattern shifting, thus being useful for decomposing an image or sequence of images, into various structural features and recognizing the features. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,440 cites the following references, incorporated herein by reference, which are also relevant to the present invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,543,660, 4,630,308, 4,677,680, 4,809,341, 4,864,629, 4,872,024 and 4,905,296.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,658, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a security system employing digitized personal characteristics, such as voice. The following cited references are incorporated herein by reference:
Naik et al., xe2x80x9cHigh Performance Speaker Verification . . . xe2x80x9d, ICASSP 86, Tokyo, CH2243-4/86/0000-0881, IEEE 1986, pp. 881-884;
xe2x80x9cVoice Recognition and Speech Processingxe2x80x9d, Elektor Electronics, September 1985, pp. 56-57;
Shinan et al., xe2x80x9cThe Effects of Voice Disguise . . . xe2x80x9d, ICASSP 86, Tokyo, CH2243-4/86/0000-0885, IEEE 1986, pp. 885-888.
Parts of this system relating to speaker recognition may be used to implement a voice recognition system of the present invention for determining an actor or performer in a broadcast.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,164, incorporated herein by reference, relates to a hierarchical constrained automatic learning neural network for character recognition, and thus represents an example of a trainable neural network for pattern recognition, which discloses methods which are useful for the present invention. This Patent cites various references of interest, which are incorporated herein by reference:
U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,760,604, 4,774,677 and 4,897,811;
Rumelhart, D. E., et al., Parallel Distr. Proc.: Explorations in Microstructure of Cognition, vol. 1, 1986, xe2x80x9cLearning Internal Representations by Error Propagationxe2x80x9d, pp. 318-362;
Lippmann, R. P., xe2x80x9cAn Introduction to Computing with Neural Netsxe2x80x9d, IEEE ASSP Magazine, 4(2):4-22 (April 1987);
LeCun, Y., Connectionism in Perspective, R. Pfeifer, Z. Schreter, F. Fogelman, L. Steels, (Eds.), 1989, xe2x80x9cGeneralization and Network Design Strategiesxe2x80x9d, pp. 143-55;
LeCun, Y., et al., xe2x80x9cHandwritten Digit Recognition: Applications of Neural . . . xe2x80x9d, IEEE Comm. Magazine, pp. 41-46 (November 1989).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,100, 5,063,601 and 5,060,278, all incorporated herein by reference, also relate to neural network adaptive pattern recognition methods and apparatuses. It is clear that the methods of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,100, 5,060,278 and 5,063,601 may be used to perform the adaptive pattern recognition functions of the present invention. More general neural networks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,134 and 5,058,184, both incorporated herein be reference, which provide background on the use of neural networks. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,184 relates to the use of the apparatus in information processing and feature detection applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,180, incorporated herein by reference, relates to neural network apparatus and method for pattern recognition, and is thus relevant to the intelligent pattern recognition functions of the present invention. This patent cites the following documents of interest, which are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,876,731 and 4,914,708;
Computer Visions, Graphics, and Image Processing 1987, 37:54-115;
Jackel, L. D., H. P. Graf, J. S. Denker, D. Henderson and I. Guyon, xe2x80x9cAn Application of Neural Net Chips: Handwritten Digit Recognition,xe2x80x9dICNN Proceeding, 1988, pp. II-107-15;
Carpenter, G. A., S. Grossberg, xe2x80x9cThe Art of Adaptive Pattern Recognition by a Self-Organizing Neural Network,xe2x80x9d IEEE Computer, March 1988, pp. 77-88;
Pawlicki, T. F., D. S. Lee, J. J. Hull and S. N. Srihari, xe2x80x9cNeural Network Models and their Application to Handwritten Digit Recognition,xe2x80x9d ICNN Proceeding, 1988, pp. II-63-70;
Gullichsen E., E. Chang, xe2x80x9cPattern Classification by Neural Network: An Experiment System for Icon Recognition,xe2x80x9d ICNN Proceeding on Neural Networks, March 1987, pp. IV-725-32;
Grossberg, S., G. Carpenter, xe2x80x9cA Massively Parallel Architecture for a Self-Organizing Neural Pattern Recognition Machine,xe2x80x9d Computer Vision, Graphics, and Image Processing (1987, 37, 54-115), pp. 252-315;
Lippman, R. P., xe2x80x9cAn Introduction to Computing with Neural Nets,xe2x80x9d IEEE ASSP Magazine, April 1987, pp. 4-22.
Chao, T. -H.; Hegblom, E.; Lau, B.; Stoner, W. W.; Miceli, W. J., xe2x80x9cOptoelectronically implemented neural network with a wavelet preprocessorxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the SPIExe2x80x94The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2026:472-82(1993), relates to an optoelectronic neural network based upon the Neocognitron paradigm has been implemented and successfully demonstrated for automatic target recognition for both focal plane array imageries and range-Doppler radar signatures. A particular feature of this neural network architectural design is the use of a shift-invariant multichannel Fourier optical correlation as a building block for iterative multilayer processing. A bipolar neural weights holographic synthesis technique was utilized to implement both the excitatory and inhibitory neural functions and increase its discrimination capability. In order to further increase the optoelectronic Neocognitron""s self-organization processing ability, a wavelet preprocessor was employed for feature extraction preprocessing (orientation, size, location, etc.). A multichannel optoelectronic wavelet processor using an e-beam complex-valued wavelet filter is also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,282, incorporated herein by reference, relates to an optical pattern recognition architecture implementing the mean-square error correlation algorithm. This method allows an optical computing function to perform pattern recognition functions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,282 cites the following references, incorporated herein by reference, which are relevant to optical pattern recognition:
Psaltis, D., xe2x80x9cIncoherent Electro-Optic Image Correlatorxe2x80x9d, Optical Engineering, 23(1):12-15 (January/February 1984);
Kellman, P., xe2x80x9cTime Integrating Optical Signal Processingxe2x80x9d, Ph. D. Dissertation, Stanford University, 1979, pp. 51-55;
Molley, P., xe2x80x9cImplementing the Difference-Squared Error Algorithm Using An Acousto-Optic Processorxe2x80x9d, SPIE, 1098:232-239, (1989);
Rhodes, W., xe2x80x9cAcousto-Optic Signal Processing: Convolution and Correlationxe2x80x9d, Proc. of the IEEE, 69(1):65-79 (January 1981);
Vander Lugt, A., xe2x80x9cSignal Detection By Complex Spatial Filteringxe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions On Information Theory, IT-10, 2:139-145 (April 1964);
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Molley, P., et al., xe2x80x9cA High Dynamic Range Acousto-Optic Image Correlator for Real-Time Pattern Recognitionxe2x80x9d, SPIE, 938:55-65 (1988).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,602, incorporated herein by reference, also relates to an optical image correlators. Also of interest is Li, H. Y., Y. Qiao and D. Psaltis, Applied Optics (April, 1993), incorporated herein by reference. See, See also, Bains, S., xe2x80x9cTrained Neural Network Recognizes Facesxe2x80x9d, Laser Focus World, June, 1993, pp. 26-28; Bagley, H. and Sloan, J., xe2x80x9cOptical Processing: Ready For Machine Vision?xe2x80x9d, Photonics Spectra, August 1993, pp. 101-106.
Optical pattern recognition is useful, especially for two dimensional patterns. In an optical pattern recognition system, an image is correlated with a set of known image patterns represented on a hologram, and the product is a pattern according to a correlation between the input pattern and the provided known patterns. Because this is an optical technique, it is performed nearly instantaneously, and the output information can be reentered into an electronic digital computer through optical transducers known in the art. Such a system is described in Casasent, D., Photonics Spectra, November 1991, pp. 134-140, which is incorporated herein by reference. The references cited therein provide further details of the theory and practice of such a system, and they are also incorporated herein by reference. Lendaris, G. G., and Stanely, G. L., xe2x80x9cDiffraction Pattern Sampling for Automatic Target Recognitionxe2x80x9d, Proc. IEEE 58:198-205 (1979); Ballard, D. H., and Brown, C. M., Computer Vision, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. (1982); Optical Engineering 28:5 (May 1988)(Special Issue on product inspection); Richards J., and Casasent, D., xe2x80x9cReal Time Hough Transform for Industrial Inspectionxe2x80x9d Proc. SPIE Technical Symposium, Boston 1989 1192:2-21 (1989); Maragos, P., xe2x80x9cTutorial Advances in Morphological Image Processingxe2x80x9d Optical Engineering 26:7:623-632 (1987); Casasent, D., and Tescher, A., Eds., xe2x80x9cHybrid Image and Signal Processing IIxe2x80x9d, Proc. SPIE Technical Symposium, April 1990, Orlando FL. 1297 (1990); Ravichandran, G. and Casasent, D., xe2x80x9cNoise and Discrimination Performance of the MINACE Optical Correlation Filterxe2x80x9d, Proc. SPIE Technical Symposium, April 1990, Orlando Fla., 1471 (1990); Weshsler, H. Ed., xe2x80x9cNeural Nets For Human and Machine Perceptionxe2x80x9d, Academic Press, New York (1991).
In addition, the following patents are considered relevant to the data compression and pattern recognition functions of the apparatus and interface of the present invention and are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,950,733; 4,044,243; 4,254,474; 4,326,259; 4,442,544; 4,449,240; 4,468,704; 4,491,962; 4,501,016; 4,543,660; 4,547,811; 4,630,308; 4,656,665; 4,658,429; 4,658,370; 4,660,166; 4,677,680; 4,682,365; 4,685,145; 4,695,975; 4,710,822; 4,710,964; 4,719,591; 4,731,863; 4,736,439; 4,742,557; 4,752,890; 4,760,604; 4,764,971; 4,771,467; 4,773,024; 4,773,099; 4,774,677; 4,783,752; 4,790,025; 4,799,270; 4,802,103; 4,803,103; 4,803,736; 4,805,224; 4,805,255; 4,809,341; 4,817,171; 4,821,333; 4,823,194; 4,831,659; 4,833,637; 4,837,842; 4,845,610; 4,864,629; 4,872,024; 4,876,731; 4,884,217; 4,887,304; 4,888,814; 4,891,762; 4,897,811; 4,905,296; 4,906,099; 4,914,708; 4,920,499; 4,926,491; 4,931,926; 4,932,065; 4,933,872; 4,941,193; 4,944,023; 4,958,375; 4,958,375; 4,965,725; 4,972,499; 4,979,222; 4,987,604; 4,989,258; 5,014,219; 5,014,327; 5,018,218; 5,018,219; 5,020,112; 5,022,062; 5,034,991; 5,038,379; 5,038,390; 5,040,134; 5,046,121; 5,046,122; 5,046,179; 5,048,112; 5,050,223; 5,051,840; 5,052,043; 5,052,045; 5,052,046; 5,053,974; 5,054,093; 5,054,095; 5,054,101; 5,054,103; 5,055,658; 5,055,926; 5,056,147; 5,058,179; 5,058,180; 5,058,186; 5,059,126; 5,060,276; 5,060,277; 5,060,279; 5,060,282; 5,060,285; 5,061,063; 5,063,524; 5,063,525; 5,063,603; 5,063,605; 5,063,608; 5,065,439; 5,065,440; 5,065,447; 5,067,160; 5,067,161; 5,067,162; 5,067,163; 5,067,164; 5,068,664; 5,068,723; 5,068,724; 5,068,744; 5,068,909; 5,068,911; 5,247,651; 5,388,198; 5,390,125; 5,390,281; H 331; and Re. 33,316. The aforementioned patents, some of which are mentioned elsewhere in this disclosure, and which form a part of this disclosure, may be applied in known manner by those skilled in the art in order to practice various embodiments of the present invention.
The following scientific articles, some of which are discussed elsewhere herein, are incorporated by reference, and their relevance is understood by those skilled in the art and relate to the pattern recognition and image compression functions of the apparatus and interface of the present invention:
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The above-mentioned references are exemplary, and are not meant to be limiting in respect to the resources and/or technologies available to those skilled in the art. Of course it should be realized that the hardware for implementing a system may be integrally related to the choice of specific method or software algorithm for implementing the system, and therefore these together form a system. It is noted that in view of the present disclosure, it is within the skill of the artisan to combine in various fashions the available methods and apparatus to achieve the advanced interface and control system of the present invention.
The present invention relates to programmable man-machine interfaces, especially to computer graphic user interfaces. These interfaces are ergonomically adapted to provide an optimized environment for human interaction with the device. One factor limiting productivity of computer operators is the time necessary to communicate a desired action through an interface to a computerized device. The present technologies seek to reduce this limitation and make use of surplus processing capacity of the computer to predict a most likely input from the operator and present this as an easily available option. The technologies also extend beyond core theme in many differing ways, depending on the particular context and environment.
A major theme of the present invention is the use of intelligent, adaptive pattern recognition in order to provide the operator with a small number of high probability choices, which may be complex, without the need for explicit definition of each atomic instruction comprising the desired action. The interface system predicts a desired action based on the user input, a past history of use, a context of use, and a set of predetermined or adaptive rules.
Because the present invention emphasizes adaptive pattern recognition of both the input of the user and data which may be available, the interface system proposes the extensive use of advanced signal processing and neural networks. These processing systems may be shared between the interface system and the functional system, and therefore a controller for a complex system may make use of the intrinsic processing power available rather than requiring additional computing power, although this unification is not required. In fact, while hardware efficiency dictates that near term commercial embodiments employ common hardware for the interface system and the operational routine, future designs may successfully separate the interface system from the operational system, allowing portability and efficient application of a single interface system for a number of operational systems.
The adaptive nature of the present invention derives from an understanding that people learn most efficiently through the interactive experiences of doing, thinking, and knowing. For ease-of-use, efficiency, and lack of frustration of the user, the interface of the device should be intuitive and self explanatory, providing perceptual feedback to assist the operator in communicating with the interface, which in turn allows the operational system to receive a description of a desired operation. Another important aspect of man-machine interaction is that there is a learning curve, which dictates that devices which are especially easy to master become frustratingly elemental after continued use, while devices which have complex functionality with many options are difficult to master and may be initially rejected, or the user stops exploring. The present invention addresses these issues by determining the most likely instructions of the operator, and presenting these as easily available choices, by analyzing the past history data and by detecting the xe2x80x9csophisticationxe2x80x9d of the user in performing a function, based on all information available to it. The context of use may also be a significant factor. The interface seeks to optimize the relevant portion of the interface adaptively and immediately in order to balance and optimize the interface for both quantitative and qualitative factors. This functionality may greatly enhance the quality of interaction between man and machine, allowing a higher degree of overall system sophistication to be tolerated and a greater value added than other interface designs. See, Commaford, C., xe2x80x9cUser-Resonsive Software Must Anticipate Our Needsxe2x80x9d, PC Week, May 24, 1993.
The present interface system analyzes data from the user, which may be both the selections made by the user in context, as well as the efficiency by which the user achieves the selection. Thus, information concerning both the endpoints and time-dependent path of the process are considered and analyzed by the interface system.
The interface of the present invention may be advantageously applied to an operational system which has a plurality of functions, certain of which are unnecessary or are rarely used in various contexts, while others are used with greater frequency. In such systems, the functionality use is usually predictable. Therefore, the present invention provides an optimized interface system which, upon recognizing a context, dynamically reconfigures the availability or ease of availability of functions and allow various subsets to be used through xe2x80x9cshortcutsxe2x80x9d. The interface presentation will therefore vary over time, use and the particular user.
The advantages to be gained by using an intelligent data analysis interface for facilitating user control and operation of the system are more than merely reducing the average number of selections or time to access a given function. Rather, advantages also arise from providing a means for access and availability of functions not necessarily previously existing or known to the user, therefore improving the perceived quality and usefulness of the product. Further advantages over prior interfaces accrue due to the availability of pattern recognition functionality as a part of the interface system.
In those cases where the pattern recognition functions are applied to large amounts of data or complex data sets, in order to provide a sufficient advantage and acceptable response time, powerful computational resources, such as advanced digital signal processor (DSP) or neural network processors are made available to the interface system. On the other hand, where the data is simple or of limited scope, aspects of the technology may be easily implemented as added software functionality as improvements of existing products having limited computational resources.
The application of these technologies to multimedia systems provides a new model for performing image pattern recognition on multimedia data and for the programming of applications including such data. The ability of the interface of the present invention to perform abstractions and make decisions regarding a closeness of presented data to selection criteria makes the interface suitable for use in a programmable control, i.e., determining the existence of certain conditions and taking certain actions on the occurrence of detected events. Such advanced technologies might be especially valuable for disabled users.
In a multimedia environment, a user often wishes to perform an operation on a multimedia data event. Past systems have required explicit indexing of images and events. The present technologies, however, allow an image, diagrammatic, abstract or linguistic description of the desired event to be acquired by the interface system from the user and applied to identify or predict the multimedia event(s) desired without requiring a separate manual indexing or classification effort. These technologies may also be applied to single media data.
The interface system according to the present invention is not limited to a single data source, and may analyze data from many different sources for its operation. This data may be stored data or present in a data stream. Thus, in a multimedia system, there may be a real-time data stream, a stored event database, as well as an exemplar or model database. Further, since the device is adaptive, information relating to past experience of the interface, both with respect to exposure to data streams and user interaction, is also stored. This data analysis aspect of the operation of the present interface system may be substantially processor intensive, especially where the data includes abstract or linguistic concepts or images to be analyzed. Interfaces which do not relate to the processing of such data may be implemented on simpler hardware. On the other hand, systems which handle complex data types may necessarily include sophisticated processors, adaptable for use with the interface system, thus minimizing the additional computing power necessary in order to implement the interface according to the present invention. A portion of the data analysis may also overlap the functional analysis of the data for operation.
A fractal-based image processing system exemplifies one application of the technologies. A fractal-based system includes a database of image objects, which may be preprocessed in a manner which makes them suitable for comparison to a fractal-transformed image representation of an image to be analyzed. Thus, corresponding xe2x80x9cfractalxe2x80x9d transforms are performed on the unidentified image or a portion thereof and on an exemplar of a database. A degree of relatedness is determined in this xe2x80x9cfractal transform domainxe2x80x9d, and the results used to identify objects within the image. The system then makes decisions based on the information content of the image, i.e. the objects contained therein.
The fractal-based image processing system presents many advantages. First, fractal-processed images may have dramatically reduced storage size requirements as compared to traditional methods while substantially retaining information important for image recognition. The process may be parallelized, and the exemplars may be multidimensional, further facilitating the process of identifying a two-dimensional projection of an object. The efficient storage of information allows the use of inexpensive storage media, i.e., compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), or the use of an on-line database through a serial data link, while allowing acceptable throughput. See, Zenith Starsignt Telecast brochure, (1994).
As applied to a multimedia database storage and retrieval system, the user programs, through an adaptive user interface according to the present invention, the processing of data, by defining a criteria and the actions to be taken based on the determination of the criteria. The criteria, it is noted, need not be of a predefined type, and in fact this is a particular feature of the present invention. A pattern recognition subsystem is employed to determine the existence of selected criteria. To facilitate this process, a database of image objects may be stored as two counterparts: first, the data is stored in a compressed format optimized for normal use, such as human viewing on a video monitor, using, e.g., MPEG-2 or JPEG compression; second, it is stored in a preprocessed and highly compressed format adapted to be used with the pattern recognition system. Because the preprocessed data is highly compressed and used directly by the pattern recognition system, great efficiencies in storage and data transmission are achieved. The image preprocessing may include fractal, Fourier, discrete cosine transform (DCT), wavelet, Gabor, or model-based approaches.
The potential significant hardware requirement is counterbalanced by the enhanced functionality available by virtue of the technologies. When applied to multimedia devices, the interface system allows the operator to define complex criteria with respect to image, abstract or linguistic concepts, which would be difficult or impossible to implement with prior systems. Thus, the interface system becomes part of a computational system which would otherwise be too cumbersome for use.
A pattern recognition subsystem allows a xe2x80x9cdescriptionxe2x80x9d of an xe2x80x9ceventxe2x80x9d without explicit definition of the data representing the xe2x80x9ceventxe2x80x9d. Thus, instead of requiring explicit programming, an operator may merely define parameters of the desired xe2x80x9ceventxe2x80x9d. This type of system is useful, for example, where a user seeks a generic type of data representing a variety of events. This eliminates the need for preindexing or standardized characterization of the data. The interface system therefore facilitates the formulation of a request, and then searches the database for data which corresponds to the request. Such preindexing or standardized characterization is extremely limiting with image and multimedia data, because xe2x80x9ca picture is worth a thousand wordsxe2x80x9d, and without a priori knowing the ultimate search criteria, all possible criteria must be accounted for. Pattern recognition systems do not require initial translation of visual aspects into linguistic concepts, thus allowing broader searching capability. Of course, a pattern recognition system may be used in conjunction with other searching schemes, to mutual advantage.
The pattern recognition functionality of the interface system is not limited to multimedia data, and may be applied to data of almost any type, e.g., real-time sensor data, distributed control, linguistic data, etc.
Another notable aspect of the technologies is the contextual analysis. Often, multimedia data often includes a data component which closely corresponds to a format of a search criteria. Thus, while a search may seek a particular image, other portions of the datastream correlate well with the aspect of the image being searched, and may be analyzed by proxy, avoiding the need for full image analysis. The resulting preselected reduced number of images may then be fully analyzed, if necessary. Thus, especially as with respect to consumer electronics applications, where absolute accuracy may not be required, the processing power available for pattern recognition need not be sufficient for complete real-time signal analysis of all data. The technologies therefore propose use of a variety of available data in order to achieve the desired level functionality at minimum cost.
One aspect of the present invention therefore relates to a mechanism for facilitating a user interaction with a programmable device. The interface and method of use of the present invention serves to minimize the learning and searching times, better reflect users"" expectations, provide better matching to human memory limits, be usable by both novices and experienced users, reduce intimidation of novice users by the device, reduce errors and simplify the entering of programming data. The present invention optimizes the input format scheme for programming an event-driven device, and can also be applied to many types of programmable devices. Thus, certain human factors design concepts, heretofore unexploited in the design of consumer electronics devices and industrial controls, have been incorporated, and new precepts developed. Background and theory of various aspects of the present invention is disclosed in xe2x80x9cAN IMPROVED HUMAN FACTORED INTERFACE FOR PROGRAMMABLE DEVICES: A CASE STUDY OF THE VCRxe2x80x9d, Master""s Thesis, Tufts University (Master of Sciences in Engineering Design, November, 1990, publicly available January, 1991), by Linda I. Hoffberg. This thesis, and cited references, are incorporated herein by reference, and attached hereto as an appendix. Also incorporated by reference are: Hoffberg, Linda I., xe2x80x9cDesigning User Interface Guidelines For Time-Shift Programming of a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR)xe2x80x9d, Proc. of the Human Factors Soc. 35th Ann. Mtg. pp. 501-504 (1991); and Hoffberg, Linda I., xe2x80x9cDesigning a Programmable Interface for a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) to Meet a User""s Needsxe2x80x9d, Interface 91 pp. 346-351 (1991). See also, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/812,805, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including appendices and incorporated references.
The present invention extends beyond simple predictive schemes which present exclusively a most recently executed command or most recently opened files. Thus, the possible choices are weighted in a multifactorial method, e.g., history of use, context and system status, rather than a single simple criterion alone. Known simple predictive criteria often exclude choices not previously selected, rather than weighing these choices in context with those which have been previously selected. While the system according to the present invention may include initial weightings, logical preferences or default settings, through use, the derived weightings are obtained adaptively based on an analysis of the status, history of use and context. It is noted that not all of the possible choices need be weighted, but rather merely a subset thereof.
For a given system, status, history of use and context may be interrelated factors. For example, the status of the machine is determined by the prior use, while the status also intersects context. The intended meaning of status is information relating to a path independent state of the machine at a given point in time. History of use is intended to implicate more than the mere minimum instructions or actions necessary to achieve a given state, and therefore includes information unnecessary to achieve a given state, i.e., path dependent information. Context is also related to status, but rather is differentiated in that context refers to information relating to the environment of use, e.g., the variable inputs or data upon which the apparatus acts or responds. Status, on the other hand, is a narrower concept relating more to the internal and constant functionality of the apparatus, rather than the particularities of its use during specific circumstances.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,797 relates to a machine interface system having hierarchical menus, with a simple (three button) input scheme. The choice(s) presented relate only to the system status, and not the particular history of use employed to obtain the system status nor the context of the choice. This system has a predetermined hierarchical menu structure, which is invariant with usage. The goal of this interface system is not to provide a learning interface, but rather to teach the user about or conform the user to the dictates of the predetermined and invariant interface of the device. While many types of programmable devices are known to exist, normally, as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,797, instructions are entered and executed in a predetermined sequence, with set branch points based on input conditions or the environment. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,179, 5,124,908, and 5,247,433.
The present invention provides a device having a predetermined or a generic style interface upon initial presentation to the user, with an adaptive progression in which specialized features become more easily available to a user who will likely be able to make use of them, while unused features are xe2x80x9cburiedxe2x80x9d within the interface. The interface also extracts behavioral information from the user and to alter the interface elements to optimize the efficiency of the user.
A video-cassette recorder is a ubiquitous example of a programmable device, and therefore forms the basis of much of the discussion herein. It should, of course, be realized that many of the aspects of the present invention could be applied by one of ordinary skill in the art to a variety of controls having human interfaces, and that these other applications are included within the scope of the present invention.
The VCR apparatus typically involves a remote control entry device, and the interface of the present invention contains a graphical interface displayed for programming programmable devices. This aspect of the present invention seeks more accurate programming through the use of program verification to ensure that the input program is both valid and executable. Thus, it has a mechanism to store and check to verify that there are no conflicting programs. An apparatus according to the present invention can be connected, for example, to any infrared programmable device in order to simplify the programming process. By way of example only, an improved VCR interface forms the basis of a disclosed example. It is, of course, realized that the present method and apparatus may be applied to any programmable controller, i.e., any device which monitors an event or sensor and causes an event when certain conditions or parameters are met, and may also be used in other programming environments, which are not event driven. While the present interface is preferably learning and adaptive, it may also detect events and make decisions based on known or predetermined characteristics. Where a number of criteria are evaluated for making a decision, conflicts among the various criteria are resolved based on a strength of an evaluated criteria, a weighting of the criteria, an interactivity function relating the various criteria, a user preference, either explicitly or implicitly determined, and a contextual analysis. Thus, a user override or preference input may be provided to assist in resolving conflicts.
The present invention may incorporate an intelligent program recognition and characterization system, making use of any of the available cues, which allows an intelligent determination of the true nature of the broadcast and therefore is able to make a determination of whether parameters should be deemed met even with an inexact match to the specified parameters. Therefore, in contradistinction with VPV, which the present invention is intelligent. The VPV is much more like the xe2x80x9cVCR Plusxe2x80x9d device, known to those skilled in the art, which requires that a broadcast be associated with a predetermined code, with the predetermined code used as a criteria for initiating recording. Some problems with VCR Plus include identification of the codes which identify channel and time, post scheduling changes, incorrect VCR clock setting, and irregular schedules. VCR Plus also is limiting with respect to new technologies and cable boxes.
The videotext signal of the prior art includes a digitally encoded text message which may be displayed in conjunction with the displayed image, similar to the closed caption system. The aforementioned West German system demonstrates one way in which the transmitted signal may be received by a device and interpreted to provide useful information other than the transmitted program itself. However, the prior art does not disclose how this signal may be used to index and catalog the contents of a tape, nor does it disclose how this signal may be used to classify or interpret the character of the broadcast. In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the videotext or closed caption signal is not only interpreted as a literal label, as in the prior art, but is also fiber processed and analyzed to yield data about the content of the broadcast, other than merely an explicit identification of the simultaneously broadcast information.
Beyond the visible region of an NTSC broadcast video frame are a number of scan lines which are dedicated to presenting digital information, rather than analog picture information. Various known coding schemes are available for transmitting and receiving information in this non-viewing portion of the video transmission. Of course, various other transmission schemes provide a format for transmitting data. For example, standard frequency modulation (FM) transmissions may be associated with digital data transmissions in a subcarrier. Likewise, satellite transmissions may include digital data along with an audio data stream or within a video frame, which may be in analog format or digitally encoded.
Cable systems may transmit information either in the broadcast band or in a separate band. HDTV schemes also generally provide for the transmission of digital data of various sorts. Thus, known audio and video transmission systems may be used, with little or no modifications to provide enhanced functionality, according to the present invention. It is therefore possible to use known and available facilities for transmitting additional information relating to the broadcast information, in particular, the characteristics of the video broadcast, and doing so could provide significant advantages, used in conjunction with the interface and intelligent pattern recognition controller of the present invention. If this information were directly available, there would be a significantly reduced need for advanced image recognition functions, such advanced image recognition functions requiring costly hardware devices, while still maintaining the advantages of the present invention.
It is noted, however, that the implementation of a system in which characterization data of the broadcast is transmitted along therewith might require a new set of standards and the cooperation of broadcasters, as well as possibly the government regulatory and approval agencies. The present invention does not require, in all of its aspects, such standardization, and therefore may advantageously implement substantial data processing locally to the receiver. It is nevertheless within the scope of the invention to implement such a broadcast system with broadcast of characterization data in accordance with the present invention. Such broadcast characterization data may include characterizations as well as preprocessed data useful for characterizing according to flexible criteria in the local receiving device.
According to the present invention, if such characterizations are broadcast, they may, as stated above, be in band or out of band, e.g., making use of unused available spectrum bandwidth within the NTSC channel space, or other broadcast system channel space, or may be xe2x80x9csimulcastxe2x80x9d on a separate channel, such as an FM sideband or separate transmission channel. Use of a separate channel would allow a separate organization, other than the network broadcasters, to provide the characterization data for distribution to users of devices that make use of the present intelligent system for controlling a VCR or other broadcast information processing device. Thus, the characterization generating means need not be directly linked to the local user machine in order to fall within the scope of the present invention. The present invention also provides a mechanism for copyright holders or other proprietary interests to be protected, by limiting access to information be encryption or selective encryption, and providing an accounting system for determining and tracking license or broadcast fees.
Research has been performed relating to VCR usability, technology, implementation, programming steps, current technology, input devices, and human mental capacity. This research has resulted in a new paradigm for the entry of programming data into a sequential program execution device, such as a VCR, by casual users.
Four major problems in the interfaces of VCRs were found to exist. The first is that users spend far too much time searching for necessary information, which is necessary in order to complete the programming process. Second, many people do not program the VCR to record at a later time (time-shift) frequently, and thus forget the programming steps in the interim, i.e., the inter-session decay of the learning curve is significant. Third, the number of buttons on many remote control devices has become overwhelming. Fourth, people have become reluctant to operate or program VCRs because of their difficult operation. It was found that, by minimizing the learning and searching times, the user""s programming time and frustration level can be greatly reduced. If VCRs are easier to program, users might program them more frequently. This would allow more efficiency and flexibility in broadcast scheduling, especially late night for time shift viewing. The present invention therefore provides an enhanced VCR programming interface having a simplified information structure, an intuitive operational structure, simplified control layout and enhanced automated functionality.
These concepts are easily applied to other special purpose programmable devices, and also to general purpose programmable devices wherein the programming paradigm is event-driven, as well as other programming systems. It should also be noted that it is within the scope of the present invention to provide an improved interface and programming environment for all types of programmable devices, and in this regard, the present invention incorporates adaptive features which optimize the programming environment for both the level of the user and the task to be programmed.
In optimizing the interface, four elements are particularly important: the input device, the display format, the sequence of the programming operation, and the ability of the device to properly interpret the input as the desired program sequence.
The present invention proceeds from an understanding that an absence of user frustration with respect to a programmable consumer or industrial device or interface, may be particularly important with respect to achieving the maximum potential functionality thereof. The interface must be designed to minimize the user""s frustration level. This can be accomplished by clearly furnishing the possible choices, presenting the data in a logical sequence, and leading the user through the steps necessary to program the device.
When applied to other than audiovisual and/or multimedia application, the pattern recognition function may be used to control the execution of a program or selectively control execution of portions of the software. For example, in a programmable temperature controller application, a sensor or sensor array could be arranged to detect a xe2x80x9cdoor openingxe2x80x9d. On the occurrence of the door opening, the system would recognize this pattern, i.e. a mass of air at a different temperature entering the environment from a single location, or a loss of climate controlled air through a single location. In either event, the system would take appropriate action, including: halt of normal climate control and impose a delay until the door is closed; after closure, set a time constant for maintenance of a steady state of the replaced air with the climate controlled air; based on the actual climatic condition after assimilation, or a predicted climatic condition after assimilation, begin a climate compensation control; optionally, during the door opening, control a pressure or flow of air to counterbalance the normal flow through the door, by using a fan or other device. The climate may differ in temperature, humidity, pollutants, or the like, and appropriate sensors may be employed.
The present invention also allows a dynamic user preference profile determination based on explicit or implicit desires, e.g., moods, which assist in processing data to make decisions which conform to the user preference at a given point in time. For example, voice patterns, skin temperature, heat pulse rate, external context, skin resistance (galvanic skin response), blood pressure, stress, as determined by electromyograph (EMG), electroencephalogram (EEG) or other known methods, spontaneous motor activity or twitching, may be detected in order to determine or infer a user mood, which may be used as a dynamic influence on the user preference. These dynamic influences are preferably stored separately from static influences of the preferences, so that a resultant determined preference includes a dynamic influence based on a determined mood or other temporally varying factor and a static influence associated with the user.
When a group of people are using the system simultaneously, the system must make a determination of a composite preference of the group. In this case, the preferences of the individuals of the group, if known, may be correlated to produce an acceptable compromise. Where individual preferences are not a priori known, individual or group xe2x80x9cinterviewsxe2x80x9d may be initially conducted to assist in determining the best composite group preference.
It is therefore an object according to the present invention to provide a radio receiver or video receiver device, having a plurality of different available program sources, determining a program preference for one or more individuals subject to a presented program, comparing the determined program preference and a plurality of different program sources, and selects at least one program based on said comparison.
In formulating a group preference, individual dislikes may be weighted more heavily than likes, so that the resulting selection is tolerable by all and preferable to most group members. Thus, instead of a best match to a single preference profile for a single user, a group system provides a most acceptable match for the group. It is noted that this method is preferably used in groups of limited size, where individual preference profiles may be obtained, in circumstances where the group will interact with the device a number of times, and where the subject source program material is the subject of preferences. Where large groups are present, demographic profiles may be employed, rather than individual preferences. Where the device is used a small number of times by the group or members thereof, the training time may be very significant and weigh against automation of selection. Where the source material has little variety, or is not the subject of strong preferences, the predictive power of the device as to a desired selection is limited.
In yet another embodiment, a present mood of a user is determined, either explicitly or implicitly, and the device selects program material which assists in a desired mood transition. The operation of the device may additionally acquire data relating to an individual and the respective moods, desires and characteristics, altering the path provided to alter the mood based on the data relating to the individual. As stated above, in a group setting, a most acceptable path is presented rather than a most desirable path as presented for an individual.
In determining mood, a number of physiologic parameters may be detected. In a training circumstance, these set of parameters are correlated with a temporally associated preference. Thus, when a user inputs a preference into the system as feedback, mood data is also obtained. Invariant preferences may be separated, and analyzed globally, without regard for temporal variations, while varying preferences are linked with information regarding the surrounding circumstances and stored. For example, the preference data may be used to train a neural network, e.g., using backpropagation of errors or other known methods. The inputs to the neural network include available data about surrounding context, such as time, environmental brightness, and persons present; source program choices, which may be raw data, preprocessed data, and abstracted data; explicit user input; and, in this embodiment, mood parameters, which may be physiological or biometric data, voice pattern, or implicit inputs. An example of an implicit input is an observation of a man-machine interaction, such as a video game. The manner in which a person plays a video game or otherwise interacts with a machine may provide valuable data for determining a mood or preference.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the image is preprocessed to decompose the image into object-elements, with various object-elements undergoing separate further processing. For example, certain backgrounds may be aesthetically modeled using simple fractal equations. While, in such circumstances the results may be inaccurate in an absolute sense, they may be adequate in a performance sense. Faces, on the other hand, have common and variable elements. Therefore, a facial model may be based on parameters having distinguishing power, such as width between eyes, mouth, shape of ears, and other proportions and dimensions. Thus, along with color and other data, a facial image may be stored as a reference to a facial model with the distinguishing parameters for reconstruction. Such a data processing scheme may produce a superior reconstructed image and allow for later recognition of the face, based on the stored parameters in reference to the model. Likewise, many different elements of an image may be extracted and processed in accordance with specific models to produce differentiating parameters, wherein the data is stored as a reference to the particular model along with the particular data set derived from the image. Such a processing scheme allows efficient image storage along with ease of object recognition, i.e., distinction between objects of the same class. This preprocessing provides a highly asymmetric scheme, with a far greater processing complexity to initially process the image than to subsequently reconstruct or otherwise later employ the data.
By employing a model-based object extraction system, the available bandwidth may be efficiently used, so that objects which fall within the scope of an available model may be identified with a model identification and a series of parameters, and objects not within the scope of a model may be allocated a comparatively greater bandwidth for general image description, e.g., JPEG, MPEG-1/MPEG-2, standard fractal image compression, or other image processing schemes. In a worst case, therefore, the bandwidth required will be only slightly greater than that required for a corresponding standard method, due only to the additional overhead to defme data types, as necessary. However, by employing a model based-object decomposition processing system, recognized elements may be described using only a small amount of data and a greater proportion of data used to describe unrecognized elements. Further, the models available may be dynamically updated, so that, as between a communicating transmitted and receiver, retransmission of unrecognized elements will be eliminated as a model is constructed.
Where image processing systems may produce artifacts and errors, an error minimization function may also be provided which compares an original image with a decomposed-recomposed image and produces an error function which allows correction for these errors. This error function may be transmitted with the processed data to allow more faithful reproduction. In a pattern recognition context, the error function may provide useful data relating to the reliability of a pattern correlation, or may provide useful data outside of the model and associated parameters for pattern recognition.
Thus, in the case of an object-extraction model-based processing system, the resulting data stream may be appropriate for both viewing and recognition. Of course, acoustic data may be likewise processed using acoustic models with variable parameters. However, in such a system, information for pattern recognition may be filtered, such as eliminating the error function or noise data. Further, certain types of objects may be ignored, for example, under normal circumstances, clouds in the sky provide little information for pattern recognition and may be removed. In such a system, data intended for viewing or listening will likely contain all objects in the original data stream, with as much original detail as possible given data storage and bandwidth constraints.
An object extraction model based processing system also allows for increased noise rejection, such as over terrestrial broadcast channels. By transmitting a model, the receiving system may interpolate or extrapolate data to fill in for missing data. By extrapolate, it is meant that past data is processed to predict a subsequent condition. By interpolate, it is meant that data presentation is delayed, and missing data may therefore be predicted from both past and subsequent data transmission. Missing portions of images may also be reconstructed from existing portions. This reconstruction process is similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,363, to reconstruct MPEG images; except that where model data is corrupted, the corruption must be identified and the corrupt data eliminated and replaced with predicted data.
It is therefore an object according to the present invention to provide a programmable control, having a status, responsive to an user input and a signal received from a signal source, comprising a controller, for receiving the user input and the signal and producing a control output; a memory for storing data relating to an activity of the user; a data processing system for adaptively predicting a most probable intended action of the user based on said stored data relating to said activity of the user and derived weighing of at least a subset of possible choices, said derivation being based on a history of use, a context of a respective choice and said status of the control; and a user feedback data presenting system comprising an output device for presentation of a variable sequence of programming options to the user, including said most probable intended action of the user, in a plurality of output messages, said output messages differing in available programming options.
The programmable control may be employed for performing an action based on user input and an information content of a signal received from a signal source, wherein said output device includes a display device, further comprising a user controlled direct manipulation-type input device, associated with said display device, having a device output, said device output being the user input; a plant capable of performing the action, being responsive to an actuator signal; and said controller, being for receiving data from said device output of said input device and the signal, and displaying user feedback data on said display device, said logical sequence of said user feedback data including at least one sequence of options sufficient to define an operable control program, and a presentation of additional programming options if said control program is not operable.
The programmable control may further comprise a user input processing system for adaptively determining a viewer preference based on the user input received by said controller; a program material processing system for characterizing the program material based on its content; a correlator for correlating said characterized content of the program material with said determined viewer preference to produce a correlation index; and a processor, selectively processing the program material based on said correlation index, said data processing system receiving an input from said processor.
The programmable control may also comprise a plurality of stored profiles, a processor for characterizing said user input to produce a characterized user input; and means for comparing said characterized user input with at least one of said plurality of stored profiles to produce a comparison index, wherein said variable sequence of programming options is determined on the basis of said comparison index. The processor for characterizing may perform an algorithm on said signal comprising a transform selected from the group consisting of an Affine transformation, a Fourier transformation, a discrete cosine transformation and a wavelet transformation.
It is a further object according to the present invention to provide a programmable controller for controlling a recording device for recording an analog signal sequentially on a recording medium having a plurality of uniquely identifiable storage locations, further comprising a sequential recording device for recording the analog signal, and a memory for storing, in a directory location on the recording medium which is separate from the storage location of the analog signal, information relating to said signal, processed to selectively retain characterizing information, and an identifier of a storage location on the recording medium in which said analog signal is recorded.
It is another object according to the present invention to provide a control, wherein program material is encrypted, further comprising a decryption system for decrypting the program material if it is selected to produce unencrypted program material and optionally an associated decryption event; a memory for storing data relating to the occurrence of said decryption event; and a central database for storing data relating to the occurrence of said decryption event in association with data relating to the viewer.
It is still another object according to the present invention to provide a control wherein said user input processing system monitors a pattern of user activity and predicts a viewer preference; said program material processing system comprising a processor for preprocessing the program material to produce a reduced data flow information signal substantially retaining information relating to said abstract information content of the program material and selectively eliminating data not relating to said abstract information content of the program material and for characterizing said information signal based on said abstract information content; and a comparing system for determining if said correlation index is indicative of a probable high correlation between said characterization of said information signal and said viewer preference and causing said stored program material to be processed by said processing means based on said determination. The system according to this aspect of the present invention preferably comprises an image program material storage and retrieval system.
The present invention further provides a control further comprising a memory for storing a characterization of the program material; an input for receiving a feedback signal from the viewer indicating a degree of agreement with said correlation index determination, wherein said feedback signal and said stored characterization are used by said viewer preference predicting means to predict a new viewer preference.
According to another aspect of the invention, it is an object to provide an image information retrieval apparatus, comprising a memory for storing compressed data representing a plurality of images; a data storage system for retrieving compressed data representing at least one of said plurality of images and having an output; a memory for storing characterization data representing a plurality of image types, having an output; and an image processor, receiving as inputs said outputs from said data storage system and said characterization data memory, and producing a signal corresponding to a relation between at least one of said plurality of images of said compressed data and at least one of said image types of said characterization data.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a video interface device for a user comprising a data transmission system for simultaneously transmitting data representing a plurality of programs; a selector for selecting at least one of said plurality of programs, being responsive to an input; a program database containing information relating to said plurality of programs, having an output; a graphical user interface for defining commands, comprising (a) an image display device having at least two dimensions of display, being for providing visual image feedback; and (b) a multidimensional input device having at least two dimensions of operability, adapted to correspond to said two dimensions of said display device, and having an output, so that the user may cause said input device to produce a corresponding change in an image of said display device by translating an indicator segment of said display in said at least two dimensions of display, based on said visual feedback received from said display device, said indicator segment being moved to a translated location of said display device corresponding to a user command; and a controller for controlling said graphical user interface and for producing said input of said selector, receiving as a control said output of said multidimensional input device, said controller receiving said output of said program database and presenting information relating to at least one of said plurality of programs on said display device associated with a command, said command being interpreted by said control means as said user command to produce said input of said selector to select said at least one of said plurality of programs associated with said command.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, receiving as an input from a human user having a user characteristic, comprising an input device, producing an input signal from the human user input; a display for displaying information relating to the input from the user and feedback on a current state of the apparatus, having an alterable image type; an input processor for extracting an input instruction relating to a desired change in a state of the apparatus from the input signal; a detector for detecting one or more temporal-spatial user characteristics of the input signal, independent of said input instruction, selected from the group consisting of a velocity component, an efficiency of input, an accuracy of input, an interruption of input and a high frequency component of input; a memory for storing data related to said user characteristics; and a controller for altering said image type based on the user characteristics. The controller may alter said image type based on an output of said detector and said stored data so that said display displays an image type which corresponds to said detected user characteristics. The controller may further be for controlling the causation of an action on the occurrence of an event, further comprising a control for receiving said input instruction and storing a program instruction associated with said input instruction, said control having a memory sufficient for storing program instructions to perform an action on the occurrence of an event; and a monitor for monitoring an environment of said apparatus to determine the occurrence of the event, and causing the performance of the action on the occurrence of the event. The controller may also alters said image type based on an output of said detector and said stored data so that said display means displays an image type which corresponds to said detected user characteristics.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an adaptive programmable apparatus having a plurality of states, being programmable by a programmer and operating in an environment in which a plurality of possible events occur, each of the events being associated with different data, comprising an data input for receiving data; an programmer input, producing an input signal from the programmer; a memory for storing data relating to said data input or said input signal; a feedback device for adaptively providing information relating to said input signal and a current status of the apparatus to the programmer, based on said data input or said programmer input, said stored data, and derived weighing of at least a subset of possible choices, said derived weighing being based on a history of use, a context of a respective choice and said current status of the apparatus; a memory for storing programming data associated with said input signal; and a processor, having a control output, for controlling the response of said apparatus relating to the detection of said input signal or said data in accordance with said stored programming data, said processor: (a) processing said at least one of said input signal or said data to reduce an amount of information while substantially retaining an abstract portion of said information; (b) storing a quantity of said abstracted information; (c) processing said abstract portion of said information in conjunction with said stored quantity of abstracted information; and (d) providing said control output based on said processed abstract portion of said information and said stored programming data. The apparatus may further comprise an input for receiving a programming preference from the programmer indicating a plurality of possible desired events; said processor further including a correlator for correlating said programming preference with said data based on an adaptive algorithm and for determining a likelihood of occurrence of at least one of said desired events, producing said control output. The apparatus may further comprise an input for receiving feedback from the programmer indicating a concurrence with said control output of said processor, and modifying said response control based on said received feedback to increase a likelihood of concurrence. The apparatus may still further verify said programming data to ensure that said programming data comprise a complete and consistent set of instructions; and include a feedback system for interactively modifying said programming data. The apparatus may also comprise a chronological database and an accessing system for accessing said chronological database on the basis of said programming data stored in said memory.
It is also an object according to the present invention to provide an apparatus comprising an input for receiving a programming preference from the programmer indicating a plurality of possible desired events; and a correlator for correlating said programming preference with said data based on an adaptive algorithm and for determining a likelihood of occurrence of at least one of said desired events, producing said output, said output being associated with the initiation of the said response.
The present invention also provides as an object an apparatus comprising an input for receiving feedback from the programmer indicating a concurrence with said output of said correlator; and modifying said algorithm based on said received feedback, said feedback device comprising a display and said input device is remote from said display, and providing a direct manipulation of display information of said display.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a processor of the programmable apparatus verifies said program instructions to ensure that said program instructions are valid and executable by said processor; an output for providing an option, selectable by said programmer input for changing an instruction stored by said processor, such that said apparatus enters a state wherein a new instruction may be input to substitute for said instruction, wherein said processor verifies said instructions such that said instructions are valid; and wherein said feedback device further presents information requesting confirmation from the programmer of the instructions associated with the input signal. The apparatus may further comprise a chronological database and an accessing system for accessing said chronological database on the basis of said program instructions stored in said memory.
The processor of the programmable apparatus may receive information from said input signal and/or from said data input; and may further comprise an input signal memory for storing at least a portion of said input signal or said data, a profile generator for selectively generating a profile of said input signal or said data, and an input signal profile memory for storing said profile of said input signal or said data separately from said input signal or said data in said input signal memory. The programmable apparatus may further comprise a processor for comparing said input signal or said data with said stored profile of said input signal or said data to determine the occurrence of an event, and said data optionally comprises image data and said processor for comparing performs image analysis. The image data may comprise data having three associated dimensions obtained by a method selected from the group consisting of synthesizing a three dimensional representation based on a machine based model derived from two dimensional image data, synthesizing a three dimensional representation derived from a time series of pixel images, and synthesizing a three dimensional representation based on a image data representing a plurality of parallax views each having at least two dimensions.
A user feedback data presenting device according to the present invention may comprise a display having a plurality of display images, said display images differing in available programming options.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a program material processing system is provided comprising means for storing template data; means for storing the image data; means for generating a plurality of domains from the stored image data, each of the domains representing different portions of the image information; means for creating, from the stored image data, a plurality of addressable mapped ranges corresponding to different subsets of the stored image data, the creating means including means for executing, for each of the mapped ranges, a procedure upon the one of the subsets of the stored image data which corresponds to the mapped range; means for assigning identifiers to corresponding ones of the mapped ranges, each of the identifiers specifying for the corresponding mapped range an address of the corresponding subset of stored image data; means for selecting, for each of the domains, the one of the mapped ranges which most closely corresponds according to predetermined criteria; means for representing at least a portion of the image information as a set of the identifiers of the selected mapped ranges; and means for selecting, from the stored templates, a template which most closely corresponds to the set of identifiers representing the image information. Said means for selecting may comprise means for selecting, for each domain, the mapped range which is the most similar, by a method selected from at least one of the group consisting of selecting a minimum Hausdorff distance from the domain, selecting the highest cross-correlation with the domain and selecting the lowest mean square error of the difference between the mapped range and the domain. Said means for selecting may also comprise, for each domain, the mapped range with the minimum modified Hausdorff distance calculated as D[db,mrb]+D[1xe2x88x92db,1xe2x88x92mrb], where D is a distance calculated between a pair of sets of data each representative of an image, db is a domain, mrb is a mapped range, 1xe2x88x92db is the inverse of a domain, and 1xe2x88x92mrb is an inverse of a mapped range. Said means for representing may further comprise means for determining a feature of interest of the image data, selecting a mapped range corresponding to the feature of interest, storing the identifiers of the selected mapped range, selecting a further mapped range corresponding to a portion of image data having a predetermined relationship to the feature of interest and storing the identifiers of the further mapped range.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, said image data comprises data having three associated dimensions obtained by a method selected from the group consisting of synthesizing a three dimensional representation based on a machine based prediction derived from two dimensional image data, synthesizing a three dimensional representation derived from a time series of pixel images, and synthesizing a three dimensional representation based on a image data representing a plurality of parallax views having at least two dimensions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a programmable apparatus for receiving instructions from a programmer and causing an action to occur on the happening of an event, comprising an input device, producing an input instruction signal; a control means for receiving said input instruction signal, and storing a program instruction associated with said input instruction signal, said control means storing sufficient program instructions to perform an action on the occurrence of an event, said control means monitoring a status of said apparatus to determine the occurrence of various events, comparing the determined events with the program instructions, and performing said action on the occurrence of said event; a display means for interactively displaying information related to the instructions to be received, and responsive thereto, controlled by said control means, so that the programmer is presented with feedback on a current state of the apparatus and said program instruction; wherein said control means further comprises means for detecting one or more characteristics of said input instruction signal independent of said program instruction selected from the group consisting of a velocity component, an efficiency of input, an accuracy of input, an interruption of input, a high frequency component of input and a past history of input by the programmer, whereby when said control means detects a characteristic indicating that said display means is displaying information in a suboptimal fashion, said control means controls said display means to display information in a more optimal fashion.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a programmable apparatus for receiving instructions from a programmer and causing an action to occur on the happening of an event, comprising an input device, producing an input instruction signal; a control means for receiving said input instruction signal, and storing a program instruction associated with said input instruction signal, said control means storing sufficient program instructions to perform an action on the occurrence of an event, said control means monitoring a status of said apparatus to determine the occurrence of various events, comparing the determined events with the program instructions, and performing said action on the occurrence of said event; a display means for interactively displaying information related to the instructions to be received, and responsive thereto, controlled by said control means, so that the programmer is presented with feedback on a current state of the apparatus and said program instruction; wherein said control means further comprises means for detecting a need by the programmer for more detailed information displayed on said display means, by detecting one or more characteristics of said input instruction signal independent of said program instruction selected from the group consisting of a velocity component, an efficiency of input, an accuracy of input, an interruption of input, a high frequency component of input and a past history of input by the programmer, whereby when said control means detects a characteristic indicating that said display means is insufficiently detailed information, said control means controls said display means to display more detailed information.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a programmable apparatus having a data input, said apparatus receiving instructions from a programmer and causing an action to occur on the receipt of data indicating an event, comprising an input device, producing an input instruction signal; a control means for receiving said input instruction signal, and storing a program instruction associated with said input instruction signal, said control means storing sufficient program instructions to perform an action on the receipt of data indicating an event, said control means monitoring the data input; a display means for interactively displaying information related to the instructions to be received, and responsive thereto, controlled by said control means, so that the programmer is presented with feedback on a current state of the apparatus and said program instruction; wherein said control means receives a programming preference indicating a desired event from said input device which does not unambiguously defme said event, and said control means monitors said data and causes the occurrence of the action when a correlation between said programming preference and said monitored data is above a predetermined threshold, indicating a likely occurrence of said desired event. It is also object of the present invention to provide the programmable aforementioned apparatus, wherein said input device is remote from said display means, and provides a direct manipulation of display information of said display means, further comprising means for verifying said program instructions so that said program instructions are executable by said control means. The control means may further comprise a calendar or other chronological database.
Another object of the present invention provides a programmable information storage apparatus having a data input, for receiving data to be stored, said apparatus receiving instructions from a programmer and causing an action to occur on the receipt of data indicating an event, comprising means for storing data from said data input; an input device, producing an input instruction signal; a control means for receiving said input instruction signal, and storing a program instruction associated with said input instruction signal, said control means storing sufficient program instructions to perform an action on the receipt of data from said data input indicating an event, said control means monitoring the data input to determine the occurrence of various events, comparing the determined events with the program instructions, and performing for storing the data said action on the occurrence of said event; wherein said control means receives identifying data from at least one of said input device and the data input, said identifying data being stored separately from said input data on a storage medium. The programmable information storage apparatus may also include means for reading said identifying data stored separately on said storage medium, and may also receive as an input said identifying data.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a programmable apparatus, wherein said control means provides an option, selectable by said input means in conjunction with said display means, for changing an input program instruction prior to execution by said control means, so that said apparatus enters a state wherein a new program instruction may be input to substitute for said changed input step, wherein said control means verifies said program instructions so that said program instructions are executable by said control means.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a programmable apparatus, wherein said control means further causes said display means to display a confirmation screen after said program instructions are input, so that the programmer may confirm said program instructions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a programmable information storage apparatus, wherein said control means further comprises means for recognizing character data present in a data stream of said input data, said identifying data comprising said recognized character data.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a video tape recording apparatus, comprising a video signal receiving device, a recording device for recording said video signal, wherein said control analyzes said video signal for the presence of a symbol, and recognizes said symbol as one of a group of recognized symbols, and said control stores said recognized symbol separately from said video signal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording device for recording an analog signal sequentially on a recording medium, comprising means for characterizing the analog signal, wherein data representing said characterization and a location of the analog signal on the recording medium are stored in a directory location on the recording medium separately from the analog signal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interface for a programmable control for input of a program for a controller to execute, which performs an action based on an external signal, comprising an input device, a controller for receiving data from said input device and from an external stimulus, a plant being controlled by said controller based on an input from said input device and said external stimulus, and a display device being controlled by said controller, for providing visual feedback to a user operating said input device, wherein a predetermined logical sequence of programming options is presented to the user on said display device, in a plurality of display screens, each of said display screens differing in available programming choices; said logical sequence including a correct sequence of choices to set an operable control program, so that no necessary steps are omitted; said external stimulus comprises a timing device, and said display comprises a display option for programming said plant to perform an action at a time which is input through said input device as a relative position on said display device, said relative position including a means for displaying an absolute time entry and means for displaying a relative time entry, said display also comprising a display option means for performing an action at a time; said control comprises means for presenting the user, on said display device, with a most probable action, which may be selected by the user through activation of said input device without entering data into said controller through said input device relating to both said action and said event; said display also comprising means for indicating completion of entry of a programming step, which means indicates to the user an indication that said programming step is not completed if information necessary for execution of said step is not available to said controller; and said controller being capable of controlling said display device to present information to the user relating to the use of the apparatus if necessary for use of the device by the user.
Another object of the present invention provides a system for presenting a program to a viewer, comprising a source of program material; means for determining a viewer preference, said viewer preference optionally being context sensitive; means for receiving the program material from said source; means for characterizing the program material based on its content; means for correlating said characterized content of the program material with said determined viewer preference to produce a correlation index; and means for presenting the program material to the viewer, if said correlation index indicates a probable high correlation between said characterization of the program material and said viewer preference.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for presenting a program to a viewer, comprising a source of program material; means for determining a viewer preference; means for receiving the program material from said source; means for storing the program material; means for preprocessing the program material to produce a reduced data flow information signal retaining information relating to a character of the program material and eliminating data not necessary to characterize the program material; means for characterizing said information signal based on its content; means for correlating said characterized content of said information signal with said determined viewer preference to produce a correlation index; and means for presenting said stored program material to the viewer, if said correlation index indicates a probable high correlation between said characterization of said information signal and said viewer preference. The system may also include a means for storing said information signal, wherein said characterizing means characterizes said stored information signal, and also a memory for storing the program material while said characterizing means produces characterized content and said correlating means produces said correlation index.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system, wherein said program material is encrypted, further comprising means for decrypting the program material to produce a decryption event; and means for charging an account of the viewer based on the occurrence of a decryption event. Thus, a decryption processor and an accounting database are provided for these purposes.
Another object of the present invention is to allow said means for characterizing the program material to operate without causing a decryption event. Thus, the data stream may include characterization data specifically suitable for processing by a characterizing system, or the decryption processor may be provided with multiple levels of functionality, or both. Further, the system may comprise a memory for storing the program material while said characterizing means produces characterized content and said correlating means produces said correlation index. The characterizing means may also characterize the program material stored in memory, and the program material stored in memory may be compressed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a controller for controlling a plant, having a sensor for sensing an external event and producing a sensor signal, an actuator, responsive to an actuator signal, for influencing said external event, and a control means for receiving said sensor signal and producing an actuator signal, comprising means for inputting a program; means for storing said program; means for characterizing said sensor signal to produce a characterized signal; and means for comparing said characterized signal with a pattern stored in a memory to produce a comparison index, wherein said actuator signal is produced on the basis of said comparison index and said program, wherein said characterization comprises an Affine transformation of said sensor signal. The characterization may comprise one or more transformation selected from the group consisting of an Affine transformation, a Fourier transformation, a Gabor transformation, and a wavelet transformation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically recognizing digital image data consisting of image information, the method comprising the steps performed by a data processor of storing a plurality of templates; storing the image data in the data processor; generating a plurality of addressable domains from the stored image data, each of the domains representing a portion of the image information; creating, from the stored image data, a plurality of addressable mapped ranges corresponding to different subsets of the stored image data, the creating step including the substep of (a) executing, for each of the mapped ranges, a corresponding procedure upon the one of the subsets of the stored image data which corresponds to the mapped ranges; (b) assigning identifiers to corresponding ones of the mapped ranges, each of the identifiers specifying for the corresponding mapped range a procedure and a address of the corresponding subset of the stored image data; (c) optionally subjecting a domain to a transform selected from the group consisting of a predetermined rotation, an inversion, a predetermined scaling, and a predetermined preprocessing in the time, frequency, and/or wavelet domain; (d) selecting, for each of the domains or transformed domains, the one of the mapped ranges which most closely corresponds according to predetermined criteria; (e) representing the image information as a set of the identifiers of the selected mapped ranges; and (f) selecting, from the stored templates, a template which most closely corresponds to the set of identifiers representing the image information. The step of selecting the mapped ranges may also include the substep of selecting, for each domain, a most closely corresponding one of the mapped ranges.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method wherein the step of selecting the most closely corresponding one of the mapped ranges includes the step of selecting, for each domain, the mapped range which is the most similar, by a method selected from one or more of the group consisting of selecting minimum Hausdorff distance from the domain, selecting the highest cross-correlation with the domain, selecting the highest fuzzy correlation with the domain and selecting the minimum mean square error with the domain.
Another object of the present invention provides a method wherein the step of selecting the most closely corresponding one of mapped ranges includes the step of selecting, for each domain, the mapped range with the minimum modified Hausdorff distance calculated as D[db,mrb]+D[1xe2x88x92db, 1xe2x88x92mrb], where D is a distance calculated between a pair of sets of data each representative of an image, db is a domain, mrb is a mapped range, 1xe2x88x92db is the inverse of a domain, and 1xe2x88x92mrb is an inverse of a mapped range.
Another object of the present invention provides a method wherein the digital image data consists of a plurality of pixels each having one of a plurality of associated color map values, further comprising the steps of optionally transforming the color map values of the pixels of each domain by a function including at least one scaling function for each axis of the color map, each of which may be the same or different, and selected to maximize the correspondence between the domains and ranges to which they are to be matched; selecting, for each of the domains, the one of the mapped ranges having color map pixel values which most closely correspond to the color map pixel values of the domain according to a predetermined criteria, wherein the step of representing the image color map information includes the substep of representing the image color map information as a set of values each including an identifier of the selected mapped range and the scaling functions; and selecting a most closely corresponding stored template, based on the identifier of the color map mapped range, the scaling functions and the set of identifiers representing the image information. The first criteria may comprise minimizing the Hausdorff distance between each domain and the selected range.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method further comprising the steps of storing delayed image data, which represents an image of a moving object differing in time from the image data in the data processor; generating a plurality of addressable further domains from the stored delayed image data, each of the further domains representing a portion of the delayed image information, and corresponding to a domain; creating, from the stored delayed image data, a plurality of addressable mapped ranges corresponding to different subsets of the stored delayed image data; matching the further domain and the domain by subjecting a further domain to one or both of a corresponding transform selected from the group consisting of a null transform, a rotation, an inversion, a scaling, a translation and a frequency domain preprocessing, which corresponds to a transform applied to a corresponding domain, and a noncorresponding transform selected from the group consisting of a rotation, an inversion, a scaling, a translation and a frequency domain preprocessing, which does not correspond to a transform applied to a corresponding domain; computing a motion vector between one of the domain and the further domain, or the set of identifiers representing the image information and the set of identifiers representing the delayed image information, and storing the motion vector; compensating the further domain with the motion vector and computing a difference between the compensated further domain and the domain; selecting, for each of the delayed domains, the one of the mapped ranges which most closely corresponds according to predetermined criteria; representing the difference between the compensated further domain and the domain as a set of difference identifiers of a set of selected mapping ranges and an associated motion vector and representing the further domain as a set of identifiers of the selected mapping ranges; determining a complexity of the difference based on a density of representation; and when the difference has a complexity below a predetermined threshold, selecting, from the stored templates, a template which most closely corresponds to the set of identifiers of the image data and the set of identifiers of the delayed image data.
Another object of the present invention provides an apparatus for automatically recognizing digital image data consisting of image information, comprising means for storing template data; means for storing the image data; means for generating a plurality of addressable domains from the stored image data, each of the domains representing a different portion of the image information; means for creating, from the stored image data, a plurality of addressable mapped ranges corresponding to different subsets of the stored image data, the creating means including means for executing, for each of the mapped ranges, a procedure upon the one of the subsets of the stored image data which corresponds to the mapped range; means for assigning identifiers to corresponding ones of the mapped ranges, each of the identifiers specifying for the corresponding mapped range an address of the corresponding subset of stored image data; means for selecting, for each of the domains, the one of the mapped ranges which most closely corresponds according to predetermined criteria; means for representing the image information as a set of the identifiers of the selected mapped ranges; and means for selecting, from the stored templates, a template which most closely corresponds to the set of identifiers representing the image information.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.